The present invention relates to a tip of an endoscopic insertion section. Particularly, the present invention is drawn to an endoscopic insertion section tip, in which secure adhesion and sealing are attained between a tip body and a cap for covering the tip body, and an endoscope having such a tip.
As is well-known, an endoscope is a medical instrument inserted into the living body of a human being, for instance, for diagnosis or examination on organs.
An endoscope basically includes an insertion section to be inserted into a human body, an operating section for operating the endoscope by manipulating the insertion section, supplying air/water, and so forth, a connector (light guide (LG) connector) connected with a source of air, a suction pump, and the like, and a universal cord (LG flexible section) for connecting the connector with the operating section and the insertion section.
The insertion section has a tip, in which an imaging unit provided with a CCD sensor, an illumination lens, and the like are incorporated, an elongated flexible portion toward the proximal end of the section, and an angling portion between the tip and the flexible portion, with the angling portion being bent in accordance with an operation through the operating section of the endoscope.
In the tip of the insertion section, an imaging unit with a CCD sensor, a light guide (optical fiber) for light propagation, an illumination lens for illuminating the site to be examined with light propagated through the light guide, and the like are incorporated. In addition, such holes as a forceps hole (forceps channel) and an air supply hole (air supply channel) for air/water supply are opening into the tip.
FIG. 5 schematically shows a cross section of a tip of an endoscopic insertion section. As shown in FIG. 5, a tip 100 of an endoscopic insertion section generally includes a tip body 102 having such components as an imaging unit incorporated therein and a forceps hole 108 and the like formed therein, and a tip cap 104 in a nearly cylindrical shape for covering the distal end of the tip body 102. The tip body 102 is normally made of metal. In FIG. 5, a resin or rubber jacket for covering the whole insertion section except for the tip cap 104 is denoted by a reference character 106.
As mentioned above, the tip body 102 has the forceps hole 108 and the like formed therein. The forceps hole 108 consists of a through hole formed in the tip body 102 and a tube 108a with its distal end being inserted/fixed in the through hole. In the tip cap 104, an opening 110 corresponding to the forceps hole 108 is formed.
The tip body 102 and the tip cap 104 are fixed together normally by using an adhesive to adhere the distal face of the tip body 102 and the inner face (hereafter referred to as “opposite face”) of the tip cap 104 that is opposite to the distal face of the tip body 102 to each other, as described in JP 2006-320543 A, for instance.